1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bicycle control apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle control apparatus that controls a bicycle having an electric motor for riding assistance and a transmission.
2. Background Information
Recently, electrically assisted bicycles that assist riding by supplementing a rider's pedaling force with a motor drive force are becoming more popular. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 9-58569 discloses a technology in which an electrically assisted bicycle is equipped with a transmission. With this bicycle, a force imparted by a rider to a pedal is transmitted through a chain to a transmission provided on a rear wheel axle. After being multiplied by a gear ratio of the transmission, the force is transmitted to the rear wheel. In this bicycle, the motor drive force is also transmitted to the rear wheel